"Just shine like you always do."
Gwenn Davidson has always known she was adopted, but after clearing up her stuff for her first move out of her parent's house, she finds an old blanket gifted to her by her birth mother that triggers an avalanche of...
FOG ROLLED THROUGH THE deserted street as Gwenn rubbed her arms together at the corner of Geneva Rd and Stone Ln. She spied The Cream Accent from afar, its sign still glowing amidst the dark of the night. Pumpkin stickers and fake spider webs covered the windows, and, from that far away, she could smell the pumpkin spice that drove Sierra insane. The rest of the businesses didn't share the season's spooky joy as they were all closed up for the night, awaiting the next day.
Her heart echoed in her head like a painful bass stuck inside. She peered at her phone every few minutes, shuffling by the streetlight as eleven o'clock came. Her breath came out in puffs as she shivered.
She wished she could've been wrapped up in Ronan's comforter—that white fluff of warmth. She looked up at the sky, hoping to see the stars that witnessed them falling asleep together, but the clouds obscured the view. Everything around her was covered, shielded, and Gwenn had never felt more exposed.
That afternoon was spent all in Ronan's presence. After walking out of MNTR together, he fulfilled his promise on takeout, which they ate at the back of his truck in their secret spot while they studied for their next abnormal psych test. The moment had brought her a sense of warmth at the pit of her stomach, but it had left the moment her sneakers scratched against the sidewalk, waiting for the inevitable meeting.
Wolf's words had kept her on edge for the rest of the day until Ronan distracted her with his huffs about the midterm material. The guy was a genius engineer, adored by the faculty at MNTR, but he could not for the life of him understand psychology. Go figure.
"I sure am glad there's a brain inside that pretty little head of yours."
As if one of those fake spider webs came loose from the café and wrapped her body in a sticky trap, she was unable to move. Footsteps reverberated, getting closer and closer until they stopped right behind her.
"Wouldn't want your secret to come out so early in the game," Wolf whispered into her ear. A hand hovered around her waist further immobilizing her. His chest pressed at the back of her head, so she couldn't even look to the side without touching him. "It's so nice to see you play the game so well," he continued, his breath hitting her collarbones.
"I'm not playing a game," she managed, blaming the cold for how her voice shook. Wolf chuckled as he lifted his head to the front of the street corner. No one was there, but she hoped that a random coffee addict would walk into them, interrupting their meeting to get to The Cream Accent.
"Oh, blondie," he said it like it was the deepest lament. "Do you still not see my chessboard?" His fingers wrapped around her wrist, twisting her to face him. And there he was: tall, blond, and menacing. Hunger flashed over his features, taking over the way he stared down at her.
He wanted to devour her.
"Why are you so hung up on this?" Gwenn breathed out.
Wolf raised his chin. "Because I have to get that MNTR slot, and you just so happen to be my express ticket." He stroked the side of her cheek, slightly pinching it with his knuckles. "Now, give me the information."
She clenched her jaw as his hand retreated. The air crackled between them. She stared long and hard at his face, hoping he'd see that she was not letting her resolve crack under him and leave her be. He narrowed his eyes.
"I saw you in there, blondie," he growled and took ahold her shoulders. A faint gasp fell out of her. "Tell me his plans."
Instead of opening her mouth, she shook her head. The streetlight casted a stark shadow across his face, which seemed to deepen when his eyebrows knitted together and his lips drooped down.
"Gwenn," he snarled, pulling her body closer. "Tell me Ronan's plans right now, or your mother will know of your little escapades with him in the next few minutes."
Cold seeped through her insides despite the fact that she was so close to him. Not even his body could radiate enough warmth for her. His fingers dug into her skin to the point where her eyes watered. She predicted she would find marks when she stripped her clothes for her shower.
"Gwenn." Wolf got into her face. Their noses were about to touch. Those light brown eyes prodded into her soul until she couldn't take it anymore.
A tear fell down her cheek. "He's doing a temperature sensor."
His fingers loosened their grip and he straightened his spine, moving his face away from hers. She shuddered, looking at the sidewalk tinted in yellow from the streetlight as she regained her breath.
"What kind of temperature sensor?" he asked. Gwenn hugged herself, taking the tiniest step back. That didn't deter him from moving in closer again, his breath hitching.
"A sensor that can read your body's temperature and adjust the AC accordingly," she blurted out before he could open his mouth again. "That's it. That's what he's doing. A sensor for a car."
He rolled his jaw, studying her with that hard gaze. It almost made her wither on the spot like she had stayed too long underneath the hot sun. Never mind that she was meeting him on a chilly night.
They considered each other for a minute too long. He bent forward, his face nearing hers, and his breath fanned over her collarbone and neck. She hid the shiver that ran down her spine like a serpent.
"Thank you for being resourceful, blondie," Wolf muttered over the sensitive skin of her neck. Her lips trembled as he reached up and planted a hard kiss over her cheek. "Looking forward to meeting you again."
Before she could attempt to say anything else, he retreated into Stone Ln, leaving her panting and grabbing at the streetlight to steady her numb body before she collapsed into a heap.
What did I do?
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